Dream a Little Dream, Scheme a Little Scheme
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: Alternate time line Code Lyoko. The earth has been reborn, but not all can remain in a constant state of peace and goodwill.


Note: Code Lyoko, alternate time line. The earth has been reborn, and like all utopias, utopias crumble with the human influence and Dark Powers (aka XANA). XANA is up to his old tricks, but this time the Warriors are children. The children are aware of Lyoko's existence but are still affected by XANA's Onieru Beam and Onieru Mist. XANA uses a microphone to amplify the effect of the Beam...Who will stop XANA's plot this time with all the children prey to his sinister lullaby ?

Chapter 1—New Earth

When the end of all things had occurred, there had been a new beginning, a fresh start.

The world had been reformed in all it's glory and those souls who had wanted to return for a second chance had gotten their divine wish. It began as a Utopian society globally but the human influence soon spoiled that. Still, the earth was a fairly peaceful place, that was until a being known as XANA had awakened.

Even when the apocalypse was immenent, XANA was always one step ahead. In Lyoko, which existed on a different plane than earth, he had transplanted himself to his grotto. It was the only place where he was indestructible, even invisible. However, his power wasn't yet restored and he would have to have an outlet. At first he wasn't certain he wanted to make a trip to Earth just to be beaten by the Lyoko Warriors again. But then a devilish thought entered his mind. He had almost dismissed that the Warriors would be children. There was no logical way they would recognize him, and even if they did, he knew his Oneiru Mist and Oneiru Beam would have more of a hold on children than adults. Even with his new device, which he had fashioned in his sinister dreams, the sound would be amplified through his microphone. Of course, he would have to fashion dream pods to sap the energy from his young victims. This would take some time and use some of his energy, but it would be worth all of his toil once everything fell into place.

Chapter 2—Sleeping Sickness ?

Taking his time in a return trip, XANA rested before he awakened and teleported himself to Kadic. The youngsters perceived him to be just another child, considering his youthful appearance. In his new guise, wearing contemporary clothing of the era, no one considered him a threat, or even possibly suspicious. He chuckled inwardly, sneering slightly. How gullible these creatures were.

XANA watched students walking back and forth to their courses and from the corner of his glance, caught the Warriors taking a leisurely stroll to their next class. They looked different, smaller, and more vulnerable. They were at least 11 or 12 years of age, respectivley, the perfect age to fall victim to his Oneiru Beam. It was too soon to begin an attack at this time. When it had become evening, it would be easier to strike, since he could hide in the shroud of darkness without being seen. But the Warriors had seen him and recognized him, and knew he was up to something devious.

"Don't try to look so innocent, 'kid'.", Odd said, dripping sarcasm in his tone. XANA mocked his words and rolled his eyes, shaking his head back and forth. Without saying a word, XANA walked away with clenched fists. If anyone within earshot had heard the observation young Odd Della Robia had made, his cover would've been blown. Luckily, such a thing had not occurred and he had fled into the forest until later on in the day.

Events had taken upon a dizzying, chaotic pace. Many of the students had already felt exhausted from working so hard in studying for midterms. They were getting plenty of sleep and eating as they should, but their sleep patters were about to be altered.

The daylight was beginning to disappear and XANA began his slow, low, melancholy lullaby. Students began feeling the effect but were not lulled into sleep as XANA would've hoped. He would have to amplify the sound at some other time. But at least he had been garnering some energy for the time being.

By the next day, many students were being taken to the infirmiry. Jean Pierre, the resident principal, was beginning to become concerned. He thought the students were experiencing sleeping sickness or somnolence. Whichever it was, the nurses were alarmed that so many students were coming in and not just one at a time. Moreso in droves. Among those students had been Nicholas and Herve, who were usually "morning types" than night owls. Jim had done his best to keep the two from falling asleep once they came into the infirmery, but even a gentle jostling did nothing to prevent them from closing their eyes. Jim sighed, and shook his head back and forth in irritation. At least he had tried, but this so-called "sleeping sickness" as it had been called by the orderlies, was nothing if impossible to figure out.

No matter what the nurses did, the students were exhausted. Young Jim and Susanne didn't know what could be causing this but recalled a time when they had been introduced to XANA's human form for the first time. They had seen a rather pale looking youngster around the premises. Jim had a feeling that this young boy could possibly be XANA. The two mentors had to be diligent and watch this shifty character with eagle eyes.

That evening, XANA had begun singing Brahams Lullaby through the microphone device and hoped it would function as he had wanted, and it had. The song had coaxed children out of their dormatories into his grasp. Even the Warriors were subject to the spell XANA had released.

Jim, having seen the children leave while all the other orderlies had been distracted or off in their own beds slacking off, took Susanne to go with him.

"Where are we going, James ?", she asked, curiously.

"We're going to stop XANA.", Jim said, taking the lead as she kept up with him.

"XANA ?", she thought momentarily. Could it have been that XANA had been reborn ?

Chapter 3—Down the Rabbit Hole

Yumi was eating dinner with her family, when suddenly she heard XANA's voice.

"I have to go now.", Yumi said in a hynpnotized tone.

"But where to, Onee-chan ?", Hiroki questioned, hearing the song as well, and beginning to become sleepy eyed at the table.

"Someplace where my dreams will all be fulfilled. A better place where dreams are neverending.", she said, like an automaton.

"That's (yawn) nice dear.", her mother said, falling asleep at the table. Her father had already gone into a deep slumber, face first into a takoyaki. All the while, Yumi had no control of where her body was being taken, but she soon found herself among legions of other children.

"That microphone is the source. See how its draining energy from the children ?", Susanne noted, her astute eyes picking up on every detail, though it was dark.

"Stop that wretched singing at once. No one here but Susanne and myself sing these precious ones to sleep !", Jim said, his voice commanding. Susanne hadn't known him to take the lead unless he really wanted to, but when he did, he was quite gallant.

"Or what, human ? They're going with _me_. There is nothing either you, or that weak female can do about it.", XANA asked, having all the children formed in a perfect line. They looked peaceful, but ghastly. Their full energy hadn't been sapped from them at this time, but their normal bodies seemed emaciated and empty, particuarly their eyes. The fire in their eyes was gone.

"I say we can settle it here and now, you cretin.", Jim said, and the name calling was only just going to get worse. Susanne was such a wiz that she had invented something called a "transformation pen". The audio code for activating each was different, but Jim always had his nearby, as well as Susanne. She had always followed the law of the scout, "Be prepared".

The two had shouted their commands and XANA wasn't too impressed. There wasn't any way the two could defeat him, so he simply spirited them away to Lyoko. His last words were,

"Good luck trying to follow me, mortals !"

Susanne took Jim's hand and didn't notice a blush that had arisen in his cheeks.

"Let's go, James.", she said gently as they called out the code to transfer themselves into the world of Lyoko. They were they children's only hope in rousing them from possible eternal slumber.

All the while, XANA led the children into his "dream world". Upon entering, it was the most glorious place they had ever seen, but the closer they came to the pods that would envelop them and slowly send them to an eternal rest. The children didn't notice the change from a welcoming fairytale glen to a vast forest of trees with no leaves, twisting branches, knotty trunks and knotholes that seemed to form faces. The trees themselves seemed forelorn, as if they were screaming or howling in pain. The ground was hard and cold, and there was frost and ice everywhere though hints of green existed. XANA sat back on a throne he had risen from the ground from the virtual background of Lyoko.

"At last...everything I want. Soon, very soon, everything before me and in the virtual world, will be under my control.", XANA thought as he sat back, propped his feet up and watched the children step into their pods.

Chapter 4—The Power of Two

When XANA had seen Jim and Susanne enter in a flash of light, first he snickered. Then he saw that their demeanor had changed. They were in costume that designated a martial air, fierce and serious. For the first time, XANA felt the first signs of the emotion humans called "fear".

"What I meant was merely metaphorical.", XANA stated through clenched teeth.

"Huh, I must have missed that.", Jim said with a sly kind of smirk. Susanne fired off an array while XANA had been distracted and for a moment, the pods were shut down. The weary children, on the brink of death, dropped down onto the ground and Susanne gathered them up to sheild them from any attacks XANA might begin. XANA cursed under his breath.

XANA couldn't believe how two ordinary human beings were so powerful. He had used all his energy to create his pods and had nothing left to fight Jim and Susanne off. He didn't know whether to surrender or pull out his last defense. The children were of no use to him now, and the energy he had drained was useless. Once the machine had been shut off, he had lost the power that was flowing into his veins. He had now grown irritated and brash, attacking without thinking and Jim was always one step ahead of him. Susanne infused him with one breath of prayer and the attack hit XANA like a ton of bricks. XANA fell back, down onto the cold hard ground, only breathing weakly, but too weary to get back up. He tried getting up, but had expended all the effort he had left, and fell unconcious.

Chapter 4—Safe and Sound, Home Sweet Home

Although it took a lot of effort, Susanne and Jim were able to secure the children in their dormatories back at Kadic. The orderlies who had not suspected anything, were sleeping soundly at their desks or on cots, unaware of anything that had happened.

Jim sang all of his dear friends to sleep, Susanne did the same with students in her care. Yumi had to be carried home and tucked into bed. Apparently, she was already asleep when she was in Jim's arms. She was the last student to be tucked in before the midnight hours began.

"I never knew you were so good with children, James.", Susanne complimented.

"I love kids. Their laughter inspires me, and I want to keep them safe, especially from that creep, XANA.", Jim responded, smiling. His honesty was incredible.

"Do you think that's the last we'll hear or see of him ?", Susanne inquired.

"Doubtful. We'll be ready if he does return, won't we ?", Jim said, confidently.

"Of course we will, my friend.", Susanne said. But even at this point, she could sense that she and James were becoming more than just friends. He had protected her so many times in the past. She wanted to persue him more and more, hoping the relationship would grow, and she remained patient because she knew that with James, he liked to take his time. This was magnificent because she too, was very patient and respecting of his nature.

Epilogue

Tomorrow had begun and everyone awakened as if nothing had happened. They had forgotten ever going to sleep, no matter where they had been when the sleeping spell had been cast.

"Why are we still at the table when it's 6:00 AM ?", Yumi's mother questioned, confused.

"I don't know mother, I'm just happy to be home with you.", she said, hugging her mom from the side. Hiroki, usually not the affectionate one, had hugged his sister, mimiking her. She couldn't help but laugh at his behavior.

"Well since we're at the table, why don't we enjoy some breakfast ?", Yumi's father offered, logically.

"Superb idea, dear.", his lovely wife agreed. And with that, breakfast had begun and the family was enjoying it throughly.

Elsewhere, others were waking up to a brand new day, getting their intake of breakfast before starting their activities, and the orderlies were taking in the fresh air outside with spring in full bloom outside. Albeit the weather might've been a little chilly yet, the sun was welcome to everyone who was out and about in nature.

Though the battle with XANA had come to a definitive end, just as James had mentioned earlier, he and his newfound girlfriend, Susanne would be keeping their eyes open for any future attacks. For the moment, everything had returned to normal and life had regained its usual pace. Midterms were over, and the students could take a break from the hectic work schedule they were required to uphold. With spring break on the way, they were allowed to be free for a time before coming back to school. It was true that vacation was always welcomed, but even if the students didn't admit to enjoying their journeys in learning (well, most of them at least) they loved returning to school once vacations were through.

The End


End file.
